Rusty Nails Still Build Bridges

A new and popular faculty member has implored this saying to zir students and I believe it is slowly changing the culture of the students at my current institution.

"Excuses are the nails that build houses of failure."

This quote is a variation of many excuses and failure quotes that I have heard over the years but this short, sweet, and concise saying resonates with so many students. I think if they could put it on shirts or banners that would proudly campaign for the cause.

What this new faculty member has done to zir students is transform the culture of low standards and expectations to creating a atmosphere where ze actually cares about their academic growth, their success, and the person.

I question why does it take the efforts of a new and fresh faculty member in search of tenure to revitalize the academic culture of an institution. As student affairs, do we face a similar conundrum? Since I am quickly approaching the likelihood of starting at a new institution, will I be so excited to "change the world" that I am not jaded or affected by institutional let downs, budget cuts, and low support from my peers/colleagues. How can I, as a new professional maintain this vigor and excitement for my first, second, third, fifth, tenth...ect job. Is it possible to stay this excitement that it creates change in my first year simply by speaking up, challenging students, setting high expectations, and not being afraid to rock the boat.

I approach this very lightly because of a very good article I read as my first assignment in graduate school, Don't drink the water: A guide to encountering a new institutional culture (Whitt, 1997). This article is GREAT and I encourage all graduate students, new professionals, and old fogies starting at a new institution to read the article and be reminded that you need to observe the new surrounding before nose diving in.

Back to the notation at hand. I am excited by the efforts of this new faculty member that is possible to change a culture in less than a year. It takes a strong will to be different, stand out from the crowd, and no where your allies lay. I say all this to say, excuses are indeed the nails that build houses of failure and as new professionals, we can not make excuses for our experiences at various institutions. Excuses are merely a poor justification for why we don't do well at our attempts. We need to buckle down and deal with life. No matter how jaded we become or feel there is always an opportunity to try again...and again...and again...and once more for good measure. No matter how rusty the nails become from disappointment, they can still be useful teaching tools for advancing the greater good.

Thats it for now.

Until next time.

Peace. Love. Soul.

NLH

References

Whitt, E. J. (1997). Don't drink the water: A guide to encountering a new institutional culture. In E. J. Whitt, (Ed.), ASHE reader on college [End Page 335] student affairs administration (pp. 516–523). Needham Heights, MA: Pearson.

Doing the Best I Can With What I Can

Retrieved from Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development

ACCEPTING THAT I HAVE DONE THE BEST I COULD DO

I am now receptive to the idea that . . .no matter what it looks like. I did the best I could.
What else would you have done? You keep turning the experience over in your mind. You are rethinking your actions and responses, which leads to questioning and doubting yourself. Instead of making yourself crazy, why not ask and honestly answer this one simple question. "What else could I have done?" Then take it one step further by asking, "If you could have done it, why didn't you do it?"

Could you have been more considerate? Compassionate? Understanding? Probably. Could you have been more patient? More tolerant? More cautious? Well, what do you think? Could you have said more or less? Could you have listened a bit closer? Could you have planned better? Waited longer? Of course you could have, but you didn't.

When you feel sufficiently remorseful, overwhelmingly confused and totally beaten down, you will be on the brink of a divine revelation! You will be face to face with something you probably never considered. Something too simple! Too easy! The truth is, if you could have done it, you would have!] The fact that you didn'tmeans you couldn't for reasons you may not be aware of right now.

Second-guessing yesterday will not help you today. Holding yourself hostage to what was not will not propel you into what will be. As you accept the reality of what you did not do in the past, you open yourself to the luxury of knowing it does not mean you will not do better in the future.
Until today, you may have held yourself hostage with remorse over what you could have done. In fact, you may be pushing yourself to a point of remorseful no return.Just for today, realize you did all you could have done. Take note of what you saw, heard, felt and experienced. Use those notes as preparation to do better at some later date.

Today I am devoted to accepting that I have done the best I could do!
From Until Today

by: Iyanla Vanzant

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This particular post was shared with me by a friend who knows a little something about the choices we make and being satisfied knowing that we can not go back in the past to change our actions. Thank you for sharing SM.

At this particular junction in my life, I am faced with the uncertainty of new employment, graduation, moving somewhere new and the inevitable next transition (in no particular order). In formal student affairs education programs we focus on transition and the developmental process' that take place in our students but we don't actually pay much attention be tending to our self as beings. We are the masters of doing much with little, shaping the minds of students (in various forms), stimulating their intellectual and cognitive development and creating meaningful opportunities and programs that support student success.

I am guilty of preaching the importance of taking time for self, prioritizing, and not procrastinating but those are my biggest shortcomings. I think the difference is I'm aware of these shortcomings and willing to take steps toward improving my life to be the best professional, friend, daughter, and partner. I have done all I can with what I have. I will no longer linger in my past experiences and question why I didn't do something a particular way.

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow hasn't come yet. I must live in the now and take the lessons of my past to shape and mold my future. I refuse to get so caught up in my haves and have nots. Call it faith, hope or just good luck but I believe everything happens for a very special reason and it is not for me to question or doubt why life happens the way it does.

Take time to live, laugh, love and grow. I minus well because life is going on whether I do or not